Teen counselling

Teen Counselling When Your Teen Is Struggling and You Are Not Sure How to Reach Them

Teen therapy gives adolescents a safe and supportive space to be heard, make sense of what they are experiencing and build the skills to move forward.

Devika Rogers, Matching SpecialistYou’ll talk with Devika Rogersour Matching Specialist

Start with a free 20-minute matching consultation.

Phone line open· closes at 4:30 pm

Phone line closed· opens the next business day at 8:00 am

Help us find your match. Our Matching Specialist will be in touch.

Help us find your match. We’ll contact you the next business day.

Call 705-737-3513

Prefer to talk? We’re here to listen

Leave a message after hours

Choose & Book a Therapist

View profiles & book online

How it works

Something Feels Different: How Teen Counselling Can Help

Teen counselling helps young people ages 13 to 18 understand what they are experiencing and work through difficulties affecting their emotions, relationships, school, family life or everyday functioning. Maybe your teen used to tell you everything and now you mostly hear, “I’m fine.” Maybe every question turns into an argument, or they are spending more time alone, pulling away from friends or losing motivation. Or maybe nothing dramatic has happened — your teen simply does not seem like themselves

At Family TLC, the teen therapist does not start by deciding what your teen’s behaviour means or telling them what to do. They take time to understand what life feels like from your teen’s perspective, what may be contributing to the difficulty and what your teen would actually like to be different. That understanding gives counselling direction.

Our team

Meet Our Teen Therapists

nol feldman headshot

Nol Feldman

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

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Golnoosh Shahbaz

Golnoosh Shahbaz

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

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Smiling young woman in blazer against brick wall

Melanie Solomon

Registered Social Worker (MSW)

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Soban Khalid

Soban Khalid

Registered Psychotherapist

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Helen Khaleghi

Registered Psychotherapist

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Nicole Reason

Nicole Reason

Registered Social Worker (MSW)

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Brooklyn Arroyo

Registered Psychotherapist

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Jordhin Banner

Jorhdin Banner

Registered Psychotherapist

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couples counselling

William Stanus

Registered Psychotherapist

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couples counselling

Christina Furtado

Registered Psychotherapist

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bilikis

Bilikis Adebayo

Registered Social Worker (MSW)

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Wendy Lee

Registered Psychotherapist

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couples counselling

Natasha Stasiuk

Registered Social Worker (MSW)

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Ilan Strauch

Registered Psychotherapist

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stephanie carpino

Stephanie Carpino

Registered Social Worker (MSW)

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couples counselling

Aria Martinez

Therapist Counsellor

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Travis Ford

Travis Ford

Operations Manager

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Devika Rogers, Matching Specialist

Devika Rogers

Matching Specialist

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Emily Naranja

Emily Naranja

Internal Bookkeeper

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Sue Cook RSW

Founder & Clinical Director

Sue Cook

Registered Social Worker, Founder and Clinical Director

Founder of Family TLC, Sue Cook has pioneered “The Family TLC Method”, training all our therapists in this unique approach. Her dedication to exceptional client care sets a new standard in the counselling industry.

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Your roadmap

The Family TLC Method for Teen Therapy

1

Intake Phase

Getting started

The therapist helps your teen understand what to expect from counselling and the Family TLC Method, establishes how counselling will work and gives your teen an opportunity to ask questions.

2

Discovery Phase

Understanding what is really going on

The therapist gets to know your teen beyond the concern that brought them in. Parents’ concerns matter too, but your teen stays actively involved in setting the goals that become their Care Plan.

3

Working Phase

Doing work that has meaning for the teen

The therapist and teen work toward the Care Plan goals — noticing patterns, understanding emotions, practising new responses. If something is not helping or your teen feels misunderstood, the work is adjusted.

4

Check-In Phase

Building on progress

As your teen becomes better able to use what they have been working on outside counselling, appointments become less frequent while the therapist and teen review what has changed and what still needs attention.

5

Follow-Up Phase

Staying connected

When regular counselling is no longer needed, active counselling ends. Your teen remains connected to Family TLC and can return if circumstances change or counselling becomes helpful again.

Is this you?

Have You Been Wondering What Is Going On With Your Teen?

Do you ask what is wrong and usually hear “nothing,” “I don’t know,” or “I’m fine”?

Are school, friendships, expectations or family conversations overwhelming them more than they used to?

Have you noticed your teen becoming more anxious, irritable, withdrawn, unmotivated or difficult to reach?

yes?

If this sounds familiar, counselling can give your teen a place to begin making sense of what is happening without expecting them to have all the answers before they start.

No waitlists. In-person in Barrie, Orillia, Newmarket, or online across Ontario.

Phone line open· closes at 4:30 pm

Phone line closed· opens the next business day at 8:00 am

Help us find your match. Our Matching Specialist will be in touch.

Help us find your match. We’ll contact you the next business day.

Call 705-737-3513

Prefer to talk? We’re here to listen

Leave a message after hours

Choose & Book a Therapist

View profiles & book online

A story like yours

“They Keep Telling Me They’re Fine”

Sam could tell something had changed with 16-year-old Alex. The drive home from school used to be when Alex talked; now it was mostly quiet. Grades were slipping, Alex had stopped going to an activity they used to enjoy, and almost everything Sam said seemed to irritate them. Sam tried fewer questions, then more questions, advice and space. Nothing made it easier to connect.

When Alex met the therapist, the conversation did not begin with a list of everything that needed fixing. The therapist got to know Alex: what school was actually like, who mattered, what felt overwhelming, and what Alex wished could be different.

Over time, the picture became clearer. Sam had been seeing some things from the outside, and Alex had been carrying others privately. Both mattered, but counselling needed to make sense to Alex to be useful.

Where we work

Three Offices and Virtual Care

Barrie

160 Bradford St

Orillia

Hartley Haus, 36 Andrew St S

Newmarket

17070 Yonge Street

Virtual

Anywhere in Ontario

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Bradford StLakeshore DrSanford StJohn St© OpenStreetMap

Barrie

160 Bradford St, Barrie, ON

Directions
Office
Andrew St SColborne St WMississaga St WWest St S© OpenStreetMap

Orillia

Hartley Haus, 36 Andrew St S, Orillia, ON

Directions
Office
Yonge StEagle St W© OpenStreetMap

Newmarket

17070 Yonge Street, Newmarket, ON

Directions
Office
Anywhere in Ontario

Virtual

Secure video sessions anywhere in Ontario

Online Counselling

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Some change is part of adolescence. In the teen years, young people naturally become more independent, spend more time with peers, question expectations and communicate differently with their parents.

When to consider counselling. It may be worth reaching out when a change seems persistent, is becoming more intense, or is affecting your teen’s relationships, school, activities, emotional well-being or ability to manage everyday life — or when you have tried to help and still feel something is not right.

You do not need all the answers. Many teens benefit from counselling even when parents are not sure exactly what the problem is. You do not need to know before reaching out.

Your teen may see it differently. They may genuinely experience the situation differently, not know how to explain what they are feeling, not want to worry anyone, feel embarrassed, or not believe the things worrying their parents are a problem.

Both views matter. The therapist works to understand both what led to counselling and how the teen experiences the situation themselves.

Starting where your teen is. Talk therapy begins with what feels relevant to your teen, which is often the fastest way to help teens feel heard and engaged.

Reluctance is normal. It is not unusual for a teen to feel unsure, particularly when counselling was someone else’s idea. A therapist cannot build useful counselling by simply convincing a teen they have a problem.

The therapist gets curious. What are they worried counselling will be like? Do they think they will be judged? Are they worried everything will be reported to their parents? Do they disagree with why they are there?

Building trust first. Understanding those concerns helps the therapist focus on building trust and create a non-judgmental space for teens where they can talk without fear of judgment.

Privacy is essential in teen counselling. Teens need to understand what happens with the information they share in order to feel safe.

Clear expectations from the beginning. At the start, the therapist discusses privacy, communication and parent involvement so the teen and family know what to expect. How information is handled depends on the teen’s age, circumstances and the therapist’s professional responsibilities, including situations where safety is a concern.

Parents stay appropriately involved. The goal is for the teen to develop a meaningful counselling relationship while teens and parents both remain part of the process.

Progress does not depend on knowing every detail. The therapist and teen work toward specific goals, and progress is reviewed throughout counselling sessions.

Changes you may notice. Depending on why your teen came in, you may see changes in how they handle difficult emotions, communicate, respond to stress, participate in school or activities, manage relationships or deal with situations that used to overwhelm them.

Your teen may notice first. Teens often notice meaningful changes in themselves before those changes are obvious to anyone else.

Approaches are chosen for the individual teen. Depending on your teen’s needs and the therapist’s training, the work may draw on talk therapy, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), which helps teens notice links between thoughts and behaviours, or DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy), which focuses on emotional regulation and distress tolerance.

Practical tools for everyday life. Therapy provides practical tools to build coping skills, handle stress management and find healthy ways to cope, so adolescents gain confidence in handling life changes.

Working alongside other supports. For teens with ADHD or other mental health challenges, the therapist can coordinate with existing supports, such as school, a physician or occupational therapy, and may suggest family therapy when family patterns are part of what is happening.

The relationship matters most. This is especially true when a teen is unsure about counselling or does not believe they need it.

Help from our Matching Specialist. Your teen does not need to know what type of therapy they need. Our Matching Specialist learns what has been happening, what matters to your teen and family, and any preferences, then helps identify a counsellor who may be a good fit.

Adjusting when something does not fit. Once counselling begins, the therapist listens to your teen’s perspective and adjusts when something is not helping or does not feel right. Our counselling services for teens are available in person and online.

There is no standard number of sessions. The therapist first builds the relationship, understands what is happening and establishes goals with your teen.

Regular review of progress. As counselling continues, the therapist reviews progress and recommends the frequency and direction of sessions based on what your teen needs.

Tapering off. As your teen becomes more independent in using what they have learned, sessions become less frequent until regular counselling is no longer needed.

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Next step

Ready to Help Your Teen Feel Heard? Talk to Our Matching Specialist Today

Take the next step in whichever way suits you best.

Phone line open· closes at 4:30 pm

Phone line closed· opens the next business day at 8:00 am

Help us find your match. Our Matching Specialist will be in touch.

Help us find your match. We’ll contact you the next business day.

Call 705-737-3513

Prefer to talk? We’re here to listen

Leave a message after hours

Choose & Book a Therapist

View profiles & book online